Organisation of working time: persons performing mobile road transport activities

The European Parliament adopted an amendment calling for the rejection, under the first reading of the codecision procedure, of the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2002/15/EC on the organisation of the working time of persons performing mobile road transport activities.

As the Commission did not withdraw its proposal, the issue was  referred back to the committee responsible, under Rule 52(3) of Parliament's Rules of Procedure.

MEPs proposed to reject the proposal on the grounds that it contradicted Parliament's demands for the full inclusion of self-employed drivers within the scope of the Directive after the transitional period by 23 March 2009. They also felt that it contradicted the  motion for a resolution adopted by the European Parliament in October 2008 which reaffirmed that it is in the general interest that the rules on working time, driving times and rest periods for both mobile workers and self-employed drivers should be properly applied in order to improve the health and safety protection of persons performing mobile road transport activities, improve road safety and align conditions of competition.